Feeler mechanism for looms



Dec. 9, 1924. 1,518,231

M. L. STONE FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS Filed Feb. 11, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 9, 1924.

MELVIN L. STONE, OF LAWRENCE, MASSACHUSE'I'IS, ASSIGNOR TO DRAPER COR- 1,518,231 "PATEN OFFICE.

PO'RATION, HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

Application filed February 11 1924. Serial No. 691,964.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MELVIN L. S'roNE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Lawrence, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Feeler Mechanisms for Looms, of which the following descri tion, in connection with the accompanying rawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to feeler mechanisms for looms whereby the operative condition of the loom is changed when the filling reaches a substantial degree of exhaustion in the shuttle.

It is now the usual practice to provide or feeler mechanism to effect replenishment of filling when that in the shuttle has become substantially exhausted, and the feelers of these mechanisms are usually mounted upon the ,loom frame or an extension from the shipper stand and held in position to enter the shuttle and feel for the filling on detecting beats. This is particularly so in that type of feeler mechanisms wherein the feeler is displaced laterally or in a direction longitudinally of the shuttle by the frontward pressure of a surface within the shuttle upon the feeler on a detecting beat.

The advantages of the present invention are more clearly manifested in a feeler mechanism of that type whereinthe feeler is displaced longitudinally of the shuttle by the frontward pressure when the filling is substantially exhausted on a detecting beat, but certain features of the present invention mav be advantageously utilized in other types of feeler mechanisms,

In the general type of feeler mechanisms above outlined and wherein the feeler is given its side swipe movement by the frontward pressure upon it, it sometimes happens that the sudden impact of the filling against the feeler causes the latter to jump and fail to be held from its side swipe movement by the filling.

An important feature of the present invention consists in a feeler mechanism wherein the feeler is supported upon the lay and is mounted for displacement in a direction longitudinally of the shuttle by the frontward pressure of a surface within the shuttle. Where the feeler is mounted upon the lay, as in the present invention, it

is normally held in a frontward position and is moved into the rearward position during the beat-up movement of the lay to feel for the filling in the shuttle.

Another important feature of the present invention consists in a feeler mechanism of the side swipe type wherein means is provided to prevent premature movement of the feeler to call the change. for replenishment of filling.

The'above and other features and new combinations of parts comprised by the present invention will be made clear from the following description and the accompanyin drawings of one good practical form 0 the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the feeler' he filling replenishing mechanism is not 7 shown in the accompanying drawings because it may be of usual construction and the details thereof form no essential part ofthe present invention.

The loom frame 1 has mounted upon it the usual transverse or rock shaft 2. from which extends upwardly an arm 3 pivoted at 4 to an actuating member 5. The member 5 has pivotally connected to it at 6 a rearwardly extending tongue 7 which is adapted to be engaged at times by an opcrating member 8 which may be conveniently constituted as a part of or connected to the cam follower. Above the tongue 7 is the finger 9 which normally overlies the arm 10 of the bell crank lever pivoted at 11 on the support 12 secured to the loom frame at 13. To the other arm 14 of the bell crank lever is connected a transmitter 15 which may be adjustable in length by a turn buckle 16 or otherwise. The parts so far described need no special description because they may be as usual in feeler looms.

The lay 17 may also be of usual construction. It is shown as provided with the shuttle box 18 the front wall '19 of which has an opening 20 through presently to be descrl ed, may enter the shuttle box.

The shuttle 21 wherein is mounted the filling carrier or bobbin 22 may be of usual construction and its front wall 23 is provided with an opening 24 which registers with the opening 20 in the front wall of the shuttle box when the shuttle isproperly positioned in the shuttle box.

In accordance with the present invention the feeler is mounted upon the lay and supported for displacement in a direction longitudinally of the shuttle by the frontward pressure upon the feeler on a detecting beat. As shown in the present instance, the front portion of the lay is providedwith a bracket 25 ivhich may be conveniently secured to the layby bolts 26 passing through a downturned portion of the bracket, and if desired the downturned portion 27 of the bracket may be provided with slots 28 through which the bolts 26 extend and by which the bracket may be adjusted on the lay.

Supported upon the bracket 25 is the feeler stand 29 which may be adjustably connected to the bracket 25 by a bolt 30 which passes through a slot 31 in the feeler stand. This means of connection is a convenient form of device for securing the feeler supporting. element to the lay and may be varied within the true scope of the present invention.

In the present instance, however, the feeler stand 29 has a rear bearing portion 32 and a front bearing portion 33 constituted by upwardly turned flanges as one convenient form thereof, and in the rear and front bearings 32 and 33 the feeler 34 is supported for movement in a direction longitudinally of the shuttle by frontward pressure upon the feeler. As shown, the rear bearing 32. has an opening or hearing slot 35,'similarly, the front bear'in 33 has an elongated slot 36, the two slots orming one goo practical form" of means for supporting the feeler 34 for movement in a direction longitudinally of the shuttle. Between the front and rear bearings of the feeler, stand is a pin 37 which engages a slot 38 v in the feeler and constitutes an axis about which the feeler may swing laterally when it is dirsgmlacedby the frontward pressure of a su ace ing beat.

Interposed between the front bearing 33 is a spring 40 normally tending to move the feeler 34 in a frontward direction relative to the lay to thereby normally hold the end 41 of the feeler retracted from the slot or opening in the front wall of the shuttle box. A suitable stop 42 on the feeler may which the feeler,v

within the shuttle on a detect.

the feeler .be employed to, limit the extent of the frontward movement of the feeler by its spring 40.

The feeler 34 is normally under the action of a spring 43, which may constitute a resetting spring to normally act upon the feeler in a direction to yieldingly maintain it in its normal position in the front and rear bearings of the feeler stand. The spring 43 acts upon the feeler 34 when it has been displaced, as indicated in Fig. 4, to return it to its normal position, as indicated in Fig. 1, when the end of the feeler is disengaged from the surface within the shuttle.

,The front end portion 39 of the feeler 34 is formed with a lug or upturned portion 44 which constitutes an actuator for setting in operation the train. of mechanism to effect replenishment of filling when the feeler side swipes under the frontward pressure of the surface within the shuttle.

The shipper stand 45, Fig. 1, has extending from it the arm 46 which is adjustably secured by the bolt 47 to the bracket 48, the upper portion of which, as shown, is consti tuted as a support for the feeler pusher.

As shown in the present instance of the invention, the feeler pusher comprises a slide 49 the rear end portion of which is flanged as at 50', and the feeler pusher 49 is mounted on the bracket 48 for movement towards and from the front of the loom. To this end the bracket 48 is provided with the guides 51 surmounted by the plates 52 which overlie the two side portions of the feeler pusher 49 for guiding it in its move ments towards and from the front of the loom. Extending frontwardly from the pusher. 49 is the stem 53 which passes through an opening in the bearing portion 54 extending from the bracket 48, and between the bearing portion 54 and the pusher 49 is a spring 55 relatively stronger than the spring 40 which yieldingly acts upon the pusher 49 to hold it in its rearward position with the steps 56 in engagement with the guides 52. These stops 56 constitute a convenient form of means for limiting the sliding movement rearwardly of the "pusher 49.

Pivotally supported on the pusher or slide 49 at 57 is an arm 58 the rear end portion 59 of which is adapted to be engaged by the front end portion 44 of the feeler when the feeler side swipes under the influence of the frontward pressure upon it, as indicated in Fig. 4.

The arm 58 has its front end slotted at 60 and engaged by the downturned end portion 61 of the transmitter 15, hereinbefore described, and which transmitter may be guided in its movement appropriately by a bearing 62 extending upwardly from the bracket 58. Since the transmitter 15 is connected to the arm 14 of the bell crank lever hereinbefore described, and which bell crank lever may support the weight more or less of the parts 7 and 9, it mayhe desirable at times to provide a stop finger 63, shown best. in Fig 1, for limiting the swinging movement of the arm 58 in a clockwise direction, viewing Figs. 3 and 4.

From the construction thus far described, 'it will be apparent that the feeler is supported by the lay and is mounted for movement in a direction longitudinally of the shuttle by the frontward pressure of a surface within the shuttle, and that such pressure-displacing movement is in. opposition to the resetting spring 43.

When a working supply of. filling is present in the shuttle on a detecting beat, the feeler is moved frontwardly with the lay until its front end portion 39 engages with the flange of the feeler pusher 49, whereupon the feeler will be moved rearwardly relative to the lay into engaging contact with the filling in the shuttle. -This movement is conveniently provided through the use of the light spring 40 for normally holding the feeler in its frontward position and the strong spring for normally holdingthe feeler pusher in its rearward position, the construction being such that after the engaging end 41 of the feeler has engaged the filling on the advance movement of the lay, the feeler will itself be moved frontwardly by the advancing lay and thereby move the feeler pusher 49 frontwardly, as indicated in Fig. 3. Should the filling be substantially exhausted on a detecting beat, however, the engaging end 41 of the feeler will again engage either a small amount of the filling in the shuttle or the bobbin therein as the layadvances, such engagement being brou ht about by the front end portion of the eeler contacting with the, flange 50 of the feeler pusher. Since the engaging end 41 of the feeler cannot be held from side swipe movement along the filling carrier or bobbin under the frontward pressure to which the feeler is subjected, the feeler will side swipe and the actuating end portion 44 will move the arm 58, as indicated, from the position of Fig. 3 to that of Fig. 4, and through the transmitter 15 efiect replenishment of filling.

In the illustrated embodiment of the in vention the feeler 34, as shown, is of the inclined type, that is, it is constructed and arranged to be moved in a direction longitudinally of the shuttle by the frontward pressure upon'it, and since the sudden contact of the filling and feeler may sometimes fail to sink the end of the feeler into the filling with holding engagement, the feeler is liable to prematurely call the change,

and therefore the present invention pro-' vides means for preventing side swipe movement of the feeler until the filling has approached a predetermined degree of exhaustion.

In the present instance of the invention, the feeler 34 has adjustably secured to the side thereof a device or bracket 64 which normally occupies a position in the slot 35 formed in the rear bearing 32, so that as long as the bracket 64 remains Within the slot 35 the feeler is prevented from moving longitudinally of the shuttle on a detecting beat.

When a working supply of filling is present in the shuttle, as indicated in Fig. 3, the feeler will be moved rearwardly by the ieele'r pusher 49 until the end 41 of the feeler engages the filling, and such movement pf the feeler rearwardly does not disengage the block or projection 64 from the opening 35 in the rear bearing,-with the result that the feeler is locked from side swipe movement. When, however, the filling has become exhausted to a predetermined point and is nearing substantial exhaustion, the rear movement .of the feeler 34 due to the action of the feeler pusher 49 as the lay moves frontwardly will cause the feeler to move rearwardly a greater distance, and consequently disengage the block or projection 64 from the opening 35, and if at such time the end of the feeler fails to be held by the filling in the shuttle, the feeler may side swipe and call for replenishment as hereinbefore described.

As indicated in Fig, 2, the block 64 may be secured to the side of the feeler 34 by means of a groove 65 and the projection 66, one formed on the feeler and the other on low the block, as indicated in Fig. 2, and the working supply of filling is present in the shuttle, the locking device prevents premature side swipe movement of the feeler and only permits such side swipe movement when the filling is substantially exhausted on a detecting beat.

What is claimed is:

1. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler mounted on the lay and adapted to be displaced longitudinally of the shuttle by the frontw'ard pressure of a surface within the shuttle on a detecting beat, means which engages the feeler as the lay moves frontwardly and causes the feeler to ress upon the filling, and means for rep enishing the filling when the feeler is displaced laterally by the frontward pressure thus induced. 4

2. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of the lay having a shuttle box provided with an opening inits front wall for the entrance of a feeler, a feeler mounted on the lay for movement in a direction longitudinally of the shuttle by the frontward pressure of a surface within the shuttle as the lay beats up, and means for causing the feeler to enter the shuttle and detect the condition of the filling on a detecting beat.

3. A feeler mechanism for looms, comprising, in combination, a feeler mounted on the lay and movable in a direction longitudinally of the shuttle by frontward pressure upon it to effect replenishment of filling,means for pushing the feeler into the shuttle on a detecting beat, and means actuated by the feeler when moved longitudinally of the shuttle by the frontward pressure of a surfacewithin the shuttle acting in opposition to the feeler pushing means to initiate re-. plenishment of filling.

4. A feeler mechanism for looms, comprising a feeler mounted on the lay to enter the shuttle in a direction inclined to the longitudinal axis thereof and to be displaced laterally by the frontward pressure of a surface within the shuttle, means for causing the feeler to enter the shuttle on a detecting beat, and mechanism for effecting replenishment of filling when the feeler is moved longitudinally of the shuttle by the frontward pressure upon it on a detecting beat. 4

5. A feeler mechanism for looms, comprising a feeler mounted on and movable with the lay, means for moving the feeler rearwardly into the shuttle in a direction inclined to the longitudinal axis thereof on a detecting beat, and means for effecting re ing a feeler mounted on and movable with the lay, a spring normally holding the feeler in frontward position out of the path of the shuttle, means for moving the feeler rearwardly into the shuttle in a direction in clined to the longitudinal axis thereof on a detecting beat and means for effecting replenishment of filling when, on a detectin beat, the feeler is displaced laterally by the frontward pressure of a surface within the shutter.

7. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler mounted on the lay to be displaced laterally by frontward pressure upon it, a spring normally acting to hold the feeler in a frontward position on the lay, yielding means for causing the feeler to move rearwardly on the lay durin a detecting beat and feel into the shuttle or the filling, and mechanism for effecting replenishment of filling when the feeler is displaced laterally on the lay by the frontward. pressure.

8. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler supported on the lay for movement in a direction longitudinally of the shuttle by the frontward pressure of a surface within the shuttle to effect replenishment of filling, means normally tending to hold the feeler in a frontward position on the lay, means rendered effective on the beat-up movement of the lay to cause the feeler to move rearwardly into the shuttle and feel for the fillin and means for effecting replenishment 0 filling when the frontward pressure upon the feeler during the beat-up displaces the feeler along the filling carrier. 7

9. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler'mounted on the lay for movement in a direction longitudinally of the shuttle by the frontward pressure upon it on a detecting beat, means for causing the feeler to enter the shuttle on a detecting beat to feel for the filling, and a (leyice to prevent movement of the feeler longitudinally of the shuttle by the frontward pressure of a surface within the shuttle when a working supply of filling is present on a; detecting beat.

10. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of the lay having a shuttle box provided with an opening in its front wall for the entrance of a feeler, a feeler mounted on the lay for movement in a direction longitudinally of the shuttle by the frontward ressure upon it, means for causing the fee ler to move rearwardly into the shut tle and detect the condition of the filling on a detecting beat, and a device which prevents the frontward pressure of the surface within the shuttle from effecting movement of the feeler longitudinally of the shuttle until the filling has become depleted to a predetermined extent.

11. A feeler mechanism for looms, comprising a feeler mounted on the lay to enter the shuttle in a direction inclined to the longitudinal axis thereof and normally held in frontward position relative thereto, means for moving the feeler rearwardly on the lay during the beat-u a device for g preventing movement of t e feeler longitudinally of the shuttle by the frontward pressure of a surface within the shuttle until the rearward movement of the feeler on the lay reaches a predetermined amount, and means for effecting replenishment of filling when the feeler is displaced longitudinally of the shuttle by the frontward pressure upon it on a detecting beat.

12. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler stand mounted on the lay, a feeler supported by the feeler stand for movement in a direction longitudinally of the shuttle by the frontward pressure of a surface within the shuttle upon the feeler, means for forcing the feeler rearwardly on the lay during the beat-up to engage a surface within the shuttle and subject the feeler to a frontward pressure by said surface, and'meansfor effecting replenishment of filling when the feeler fails to be held from movement longitudinally of the shuttle by the frontward pressure of the surface Within the shuttle.

13. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler stand mounted on the lay, a feeler supported by the feeler stand for movement in a direction longitudinally of the shuttle by the frontward pressure upon the feeler, means for forcing the feeler rearwardly on the lay during the beat-up to engage a surface within the shuttle and subject the feeler to the front-. ward pressure by said surface, a device for locking the feeler from movement longitudinally of the shuttle when a working "supply of filling is encountered by the feeler on a detecting beat, and means for effecting replenishment of filling when the feeler fails to be held from movement longitudinally of the shuttle by the frontward pressure of the surface within the shuttle.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

MELVIN L. STONE. 

